'Kumi' - Chapter 10 (Part 2/2)

Promise of Reunion

 

 

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"Wanna see?" A figure behind them said

 

 

"Huh? Wha?" Before Vaultor and Kumi could turn around to see who the figure was, they were pushed into the toy box

 

 

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Both screamed as they fell into the dark toy box.

 

 

Boom!

 

 

"Uhh" Kumi slowly opened her eyes and immediately sat up

 

 

"VAULTOR?!" Kumi looked around, there were crayon scribbles everywhere.

 

 

"My rose.....Where is it..." Kumi looked around for it. She walked around the blue dolls, mannequin heads, & headless statues.

 

 

"Blue petals....." Kumi noticed small blue petals on the ground.

 

 

"MY ROSE!" She ran to it and found out there was still one petal left. "Ah, Close one!"

 

 

"W-what is this? Ah! Vaultor! Where is he?!" Kumi stood up and started looking around. When she found Vaultor lying on the ground, she ran up to him

 

 

"VAULTOR! Wake up!" She shook him.

 

 

"Mm..." He stirred. "Oof....Ugh..I hit my head..." Vaultor slowly stood up.

 

 

"Kumi, Are you okay?" He asked

 

 

"I'm hurt all over..." She replied

 

 

"Huh? Wha...No fractures or anything, right?"

 

 

Kumi shook her head

 

 

"Well, you can still walk...Don't scare me like that!"

 

 

"Sorry."

 

 

"It's okay. At any rate....." Vaultor looked around the room. "This place is full of scribbles. Is this the toy box?"

 

 

"It seems like it....."

 

 

"We fell from the upper floor...after she pushed us...Well, let's look for the key and get out!"

 

 

"Mm!" Kumi nodded and both soon walked around the room to search for the missing key.

 

 

"The building we haven't looked in was pink, right?" Vaultor asked

 

 

"Yes."

 

 

"So it must of blended in with something pink in this room. But where...."

 

 

"Maybe that pink cat scribble over there!" Kumi pointed. Both walked towards the pink scribbled cat and found the pink key.

 

 

"We found it!" Kumi picked it up.

 

 

Suddenly, there was a rumble.

 

 

"Wh-What?" Kumi was beginning to shake.

 

 

"I don't like this...." Vaultor pulled Kumi close to him. "It's just like before."

 

 

The room turned blue and the objects on the floor began moving slowly.

 

 

"What's with these guys. Kumi, Hang On!" Vaultor said

 

 

"Okay...." Kumi shouted and grabbed onto Vaultor tightly.

 

 

The objects began moving closer towards them. Vaultor tried to avoid them but they were coming towards them even faster so he ran towards the exit quickly and jumping over the objects.

 

 

When they arrived at the exit, they caught their breaths

 

 

"Whew, that was a close one." Vaultor panted

 

 

"Yeah. wonder what down there is about...." Kumi pointed down the hall as they turned left.

 

 

"Let's keep going." Vaultor held Kumi's hand and both walked to a wall full of poorly drawn gray flowers.

 

 

"What is this....." Vaultor looked

 

 

"Maybe there's something up there...."

 

 

"Let's keep going, watch your step." Both carefully walked up the steps and appeared in the same room when they found the toy box, only it seemed different than before

 

 

"?!"

 

 

"Did...did this room change?" Vaultor said

 

 

"It seems like it....Look! Those gray roses on the walls weren't there before..." Kumi said pointing at the roses on the wall.

 

 

Vaultor and Kumi walked up to the wall.

 

 

"Hey, I can see stairs from here. But they are covered by these thorns." Vaultor said

 

 

"It's like they are telling us that we can't go up there." Kumi looked at the vines

 

 

"Got to get through though." Vaultor inspected the vines. "These thorns seem odd, almost like they aren't real. They don't feel lively as plants should, very much fake"

 

 

"What to do then. We can't pull them, we can get hurt!" Kumi said

 

 

"But maybe we can burn them." Vaultor smirked and pulled out his lighter.

 

 

"Yeah, we could do that." Kumi smiled

 

 

"Alright, let's burn them." Vaultor set his lighter off and placed it near the thorns. They started burning.

 

 

"It worked!" Kumi cheered

 

 

"Looks like we can go through! C'mon on." Vaultor placed his arms around Kumi and both walked up the stairs to a whole new room.

 

 

"Hm? This room...This isn't the toy box, is it?" Vaultor asked

 

 

"It doesn't look like it..." Kumi replied

 

 

"More importanly, see that Kumi?" Vaultor pointed. "That painting on the far wall. I think I've seen it before, let's take a look."

 

 

Both were about to reach the painting until footsteps echoed behind them. It was someone running up the stairs. Vaultor and Kumi turned around to see a figure appear.

 

 

"Who's there?!" It was Francine.

 

 

"..!"

 

 

"....Kumi, Vaultor...You're both okay?" Francine asked surprised. "How did you get into this room?" Her mood changed to anger.

 

 

"Leave..." Francine threaten

 

 

"Francine...You..." Vaultor began

 

 

"Don't take another step!" Francine shouted

 

 

"Wha...Francine.." Kumi studdered

 

 

"LEAVE RIGHT NOW!" She shouted at the two.

 

 

Francine pulled out her palette knife.

 

 

"now! NOW! NOWWW!" Red anger appeared on the ground where she was standing. This was it. This was the true form of Francine.

 

 

"LEEEEeeeEEEeeAVE!!!!" Francine yelled as she whipped her knife towards the duo.

 

 

"KUMI, COME ON!" Vaultor yelled at Kumi. Both ran towards the painting.

 

 

"What do we do?!" Kumi shouted in fear. "She's coming closer!"

 

 

"YAHHHHHHH!!" Francine yelled as she was closer and closer as she was about to thrust her knife at the two

 

 

Vaultor blocked Francine's attack.

 

 

"YAHHHH!" She yelled. Vaultor tried to avoid the knife as Francine continued to thrash her knife around.

 

 

"LET! ME! GO!" She continued to yell as Vaultor tried to weigh her down. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.

 

 

"KUMI! CATCH!" He tossed his lighter at Kumi as she caught it in her hands.

 

 

"BURN IT! BURN THE PAINTING! NOW!" Vaultor yelled. Kumi set the lighter off

 

 

"KUMI! STOP!!!!" Francine shouted. Kumi ignored Francine and tossed the burning object at the painting and turned around.

 

 

"?!" Francine stopped and looked at the painting. "Wha....." The painting was began to burn, glass broke out of the painting case. The sharp edges were falling on Kumi. She was frozen where she was as she saw what was going on.

 

 

Vaultor ran to Kumi and pulled her away from the glass falling as one sliced his hand opened while pulling her away

 

 

Francine watched in horror as her painting was burning.

 

 

"Ah.....NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Francine shouted in agony and backed away. Dropping her knife, she stood where she was and screamed. Her body slowly turning to charcoal and pretty soon, she crumbled to the ground in a pile of dust.

 

 

Vaultor fell to his knees.

 

 

"Vaultor!" Kumi ran to him and crouched down

 

 

"*pant* I gotta say, she was a scary one...Anyways, She burned up more violently than I expected. Are you okay, Kumi? The glass shattered after all."

 

 

"Yes, I'm fine." Kumi noticed Vaultor's hand. It was bleeding. "Vaultor! Your hand!"

 

 

"Hm? My hand? Oh you're right, I cut it. I didn't even noticed. It must have just happened. It's just a minor." He smiled

 

 

"No it's not. Here." Kumi reached into her pocket, pulled out her handkerchief and handed it to him.

 

 

"Ah, a handkerchief, may I use it?" He asked

 

 

"Yes." She smiled warmly

 

 

Vaultor looked at the handkerchief in his hands. "Isn't this real lace? Well, I don't particularly want to tarnish this." He noticed the blood soaking the lace. "Too late, unfortunately."

 

 

Kumi carefully tied the wounded cut. "Thanks Kumi."

 

 

"You're welcome." She smiled happily.

 

 

"Well then, let's get going." He stood up.

 

 

"Wait, let's see what's in this room." Kumi said

 

 

"Okay then." He replied

 

 

Vaultor walked up to the piled ashes of Francine. Next to it, was the palette knife.

 

 

"She really wasn't human after all...." Vaultor sighed

 

 

"Vaultor. Look." He turned around to see Kumi holding a book. He walked up to it and saw what it was. A book that had words written in crayon.

 

 

"I wonder what it says..." Both began to read

 

 

I like the visitors coming in to live with me, but I want to leave this place myself and live outside. But unless I take the place of someone from outside, it seems I can't do that....Won't somebody come soon? Won't somebody come soon.....

 

 

"This must be Francine's diary" Vaultor sighed

 

 

"So that must be the reason about her situation." Kumi said as she closed the book

 

 

"Yeah...." Silence fell as they continued to look around. When they found nothing, they decided to leave.

 

 

"Kumi, do you still have the pink key?" Vaultor asked as they exit the house

 

 

"Yeah, let's go see the pink building." Kumi replied

 

 

Both headed off to the pink building and placed the key at the keyhole. When they entered, they were greeted with a stair going downward on the other side of the room. They began to walk down the stairs.

 

 

"Whoa, it's dark. Watch your step, Kumi." Vaultor held Kumi tight to him and both walked down. When they reached the bottom, they turned left and noticed that they were in somewhere.

 

 

"This place seems familiar...." Kumi said

 

 

"It seems like it's the art gallery." Vaultor answered

 

 

"Only, it's darker than the other one." Kumi looked around. It was indeed dark.

 

 

"Vaultor?"

 

 

"Hm?"

 

 

"Do you think, that big painting will be here too?"

 

 

"I don't know, let's go see." Both walked upstairs and walked down to the big painting.

 

 

When they arrived, Kumi read the nameplate.

 

 

Fabricated World. Once you go in, there's no going back. All your time here will be lost. Will you still jump in?

 

 

"Hey, isn't that the former gallery? Does that mean, if we jump into this, we'll go back there?" Vaultor thought

 

 

"But how are we going to jump into the painting?" Kumi asked

 

 

Then, flashing lights appeared and the huge frame disappeared.

 

 

"Kumi, Look! The frame! It's gone! Now might be our chance!" Vaultor jumped into the painting.

 

 

"Yes! I'm really in. Hurry up Kumi!" Kumi was about to leap in until she heard her name

 

 

"Kumi...."

 

 

Kumi turned to see who it was. It was her mother, Draculaura

 

 

"Kumi, What's wrong, come on!" Vaultor said but Kumi ignored him. He was wondering who she was talking too.

 

 

"Kumi! I finally found you! Sheesh, I was looking everywhere! Don't just go running off places on your own." Her mother warn.

 

 

Kumi was confused how her mother was here. The gallery was empty, but her mother was here.

 

 

"Your father is waiting for you too, see? Let's go Kumi." Her mother smiled

 

 

"Kumi! Hey, what are you doing?! Hurry up and come over." Vaultor said to Kumi

 

 

Draculaura took a step forward.

 

 

"KumI! How many times have I told you? Don't go with strangers!" She said sternly

 

 

"Hey, It's not scary, okay? You'll be fine!" Vaultor tried to get her attention.

 

 

"Kumi! Listen to your mother! Don't go with some strangers!" Draculaura was sounding more sternly than ever. "Do you want to never see your mother and father again?"

 

 

Vaultor reached his arm out to Kumi. "Kumi! I'll pull you over!"

 

 

"Kumi! Come with me!"

 

 

"Grab my hand."

 

 

Kumi tried to block out the yelling between her mother & Vaultor. She didn't know who to choose to go with. If she went with her mother, then she will be a good girl. If she went with Vaultor, then she will escape the Fabricated World.

 

 

"KUMI!" Both yelled her name

 

 

She finally made her choice.

 

 

"VAULTOR!" She ran towards Vaultor and grabbed his hand.

 

 

"ALRIGHT!" He pulled her in and hugged her tightly as they left the Fabricated World.

 

 

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Kumi opened her eyes. She then realized that she was in the former gallery. She looked around, there were people walking around, enjoying Frankie Stein's artwork.

 

 

She couldn't remember what she was doing. So she looked around.

 

 

Kumi continued to look around until she arrived at the rose sculpture and saw a man that was familiar. Has she seen him from somewhere? She didn't know. Kumi decided to walk up to the man and tugged his coat.

 

 

"Hm?" He turned around.

 

 

"What is it, little lady?" He smiled

 

 

"Um, What is this statue?" Kumi asked

 

 

"Ah, this? It's called "Embodiment of Spirit" apparently"

 

 

He turned to look at the sculpture.

 

 

"When I look at it, I feel somehow sorrow...I wonder why. Ah, I'm sorry if I said anything to trouble you, Kumi"

 

 

Kumi's eye shot up.

 

 

"Wait, what? Who's Kumi?" He asked

 

 

"I'm Kumi, sir..." Kumi answered

 

 

"What? That's your name? Your name's really Kumi? That's the strangest thing, I mean, I don't know you at all...."

 

 

Kumi sighed

 

 

"It just kind of came out, how odd. But actually, have we perhaps met before?"

 

 

Kumi just stared

 

 

"Ah, look at me, asking you such strange things. Never mind what I said, Well. It was nice meeting you, goodbye." He smiled as he walked away.

 

 

Kumi just stared at him. She stared sadly as he slowly walked away but then noticed that he stopped

 

 

Vaultor walked away until he reached into his pocket and felt something.

 

 

"Hm? What's this" He pulled out a handkerchief.

 

 

"A handkerchief? When did I get this..."

 

 

Kumi heard him and walked up to him.

 

 

"Um sir, that is mine..." Kumi replied

 

 

"Ah, this is yours? Ah it's true. "Kumi"....your name's on it. But why was it in my pocket? Plus there's blood on it.

 

 

Vaultor then stopped and had a memory about it. He remembered some girl giving him her handkerchief.

 

 

"I was.....I was wounded, on the hand...and...a girl...a girl gave me her handkerchief..."

 

 

Kumi watched as he was trying to remember

 

 

"Yes..I was given this handkerchief. By the girl....by Kumi!"

 

 

Vaultor then pulled Kumi into his arms.

 

 

"Kumi...I remember now...We were together back there. How could I have forgotten, It was so important! We stuck together through that bizarre gallery, Chased by strange statues, and Francine too, right? Do you remember, Kumi?"

 

 

"Vaultor.....I...I..I don't remember!" Kumi cried

 

"Kumi...Remember that nightmare adventure we had?" Vaultor began to worry, but then, he remembered something.

 

"Kumi, Look into your pocket." He told her. Kumi looked inside her pocket and found something tiny.

 

It was a lemon flavor candy.

 

"Do you remember? I gave that candy to you." Kumi looked at the candy and then a flashback appeared in her mind.

 

She remembered a man giving her a candy, when she had a nightmare.

 

"....Vaultor....I do remember!" Kumi cried small tears of joy as she hugged Vaultor tightly.

 

 

"Thank goodness! It's hard to believe even now, but it must have happened, right?" Vaultor said

 

 

"Yes!" Kumi continued to cry joyfully as Vaultor wiped her tears away with his sleeve.

 

 

"Kumi, We got back safely! We did it! Ahaha." Vaultor smiled

 

 

"MmHm!" Kumi managed to smile while drying her tears.

 

 

"There's so much more I want to talk about. But I got to get going. Ah uh, Kumi?"

 

 

"Yes Vaultor?"

 

 

"Is it all right if I keep this handkerchief a while longer?" Vaultor held her handkerchief

 

 

"Hm?" Kumi tilted her head

 

 

"It wouldn't do to return it as it is, I'll have to make it clean, and then give it back." Vaultor smiled

 

 

"Alright, You can hold on to it and give it back once it's clean!" Kumi smiled with him

 

 

"Because we will see each other again!"

 

 

As Vaultor and Kumi walked off to whatever where they were suppose to go, they turned around and waved to each other smiling.

 

 

They knew they were going to see each other again. If it wasn't for the crazy painting world, then they would've never met, but now that the crazy adventure was over, they knew they will have so much to talk about over with some coffee & some macaroons.

 

 

THE END

 

 

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WAHHH! I FINISHED THE STORY! It was tough work but I'm glad I completed it before this Winter Break was over! Watching the game was very interesting and exciting so typing the story was very fun but very long too. But I did have fun typing the details of it down and introducing the other characters in it too! Thanks for reading everyone ^_^

 

 

 

Done